young
gb/jˈʌŋ/ us/jˈʌŋ/
A1
English
~ 300
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A1
property
1
at an early stage of life
Not old; in the first part of life or growth.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is young
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'young' with 'small'. 'Young' refers to age, not size.
Synonyms
youthful (Often suggests energy or appearance, not just age.)
Antonyms
old (Refers to someone or something that has existed for a long time.)
Collocations
young people
|young children
|young man
|young woman
|young age
Themes
daily life
|age
|family
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The young puppy was full of energy.
- She is too young to drive a car.
- Many young athletes dream of competing in the Olympics.
- The tree is still young and will grow much taller.
- He was a young teacher when he started working here.
Learner examples
- I have a young sister.
- The boy is very young.
- My dog is still young.
- She is a young student.
adjective
B1
property
2
having youthful qualities
Acting or seeming like a young person, even if not actually young.
Usage pattern:
[someone] seems/feels/looks young
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse this sense for physical appearance only, forgetting it can describe attitude or style.
Synonyms
youthful (Very close in meaning but can be more positive or complimentary.)
Antonyms
aged (Shows signs of being old or worn.)
Collocations
look young
|feel young
|stay young
Themes
personality
|appearance
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She may be fifty, but she still feels young at heart.
- The company has a young and dynamic team.
- He looks surprisingly young for his age.
Learner examples
- My grandmother looks young.
- He feels young after the holiday.
- They are young in their ideas.
Noun
B1
entity
3
offspring in early life stage
Babies of people or animals.
Usage pattern:
the young [of something]
Common mistake:
Learners might confuse 'young' (noun) with 'youth' (which refers to the period of being young or young people collectively).
Synonyms
offspring (More formal and can refer to all ages of children.)
Antonyms
adult (Fully grown person or animal.)
Collocations
protect the young
|feed the young
Themes
nature
|family
|animals
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The mother bird feeds her young.
- Lions fiercely protect their young from predators.
- The camp is designed for the young of the community.
Learner examples
- The cat takes care of her young.
- Birds feed their young.
- The lion protects its young.
Grammar
Dictionary form
young
IPA
GB/jˈʌŋ/
US/jˈʌŋ/
Syllables & stress
young (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (young)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: young
- Comparative: younger
- Superlative: youngest
Noun
- Base: young
- Plural: young
Word family
Expressions
in one's younger days
1/ˈɪn wˈʌnz jˈʌŋɡɚ dˈeɪz/
fixed phrase
time when someone was younger
Refers to the time in the past when someone was younger.
Examples
- In his younger days, he played professional football.
- She traveled a lot in her younger days.
the younger generation
1/ðə jˈʌŋɡɚ d͡ʒˌɛnɚˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
people younger than current adults
People who are younger than their parents or older people now.
Examples
- The younger generation is more comfortable with technology.
- There is a gap between the older and the younger generation.
young at heart
1/jˈʌŋ ˈæt hˈɑɹt/
idiom
feeling youthful despite age
To feel and act like a younger person even if you are older.
Examples
- Even in her seventies, she remained young at heart and full of life.
- He’s always been young at heart, enjoying music and dancing.